Michael Checkland
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Checkland was Director-General of the BBC
from 1987 to 1992, having been appointed after the forced resignation of Alasdair Milne
.
in Birmingham
, and Wadham College, Oxford
, of which he was appointed an Honorary Fellow in 1989. After leaving Oxford
he worked first as an auditor at Parkinson Cowan Ltd
and then as an accountant at Thorn Electronics
.
in 1964 as a senior cost accountant and in 1969 he was promoted to be head of the Central Finance Unit and chief accountant for Central Finance Services. In 1971 he moved to BBC TV
, where he was successively chief accountant (1971–76), financial controller (1976–77), controller of planning and resource management (1977–82), and director of resources (1982–85). He had meanwhile been a director of Visnews
from 1980 until 1985. In 1985 he was appointed Deputy Director-General
of the Corporation
, and at the same time he became Vice President of the Royal Television Society
, a position he retained until 1994. In 1986 he became Chairman of BBC Enterprises
, of which he had been a director since 1979. The following year he became Director-General
upon the resignation of Alasdair Milne
. This appointment coincided with a term of office as President of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
from until 1988.
accountant (hence his somewhat derogatory nickname "Michael Chequebook") he was more cautious and less radical than Milne, and therefore much less potentially unsettling to the Thatcher
government. It has been claimed that the exodus to Channel 4
in the early 1990s of dramatists like Dennis Potter
and Alan Bleasdale
, who had both been responsible for series which caused outrage among Conservatives during the Milne era, had much to do with the relative lack of risk-taking at the BBC under Checkland and his successor John Birt, who was deputy director-general throughout Checkland's reign.
conference that the corporation's governors and the chairman Marmaduke Hussey had been out of touch: they thought, as he put it, that FM (as in FM radio) "stood for fuzzy monsters!"
Following his retirement from the BBC, Checkland became closely associated with the National Children's Homes
charity
. He has since become involved in a range of other charities and public bodies: Director of the National Youth Music Theatre
(1992–2002), Chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
(1995–2001), Governor of Westminster College, Oxford
(1993–97), Governor of Birkbeck College London
(1993–97), Visiting Professor at the International Academy of Broadcasting, Montreux
(1995–97), and Chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for England
(1997–2001).
In 1997-8 he was elected Vice-President of the British Methodist Conference, the highest lay position in the church.
He was at the time of writing a trustee of Reuters
, chairman of Horsham YMCA
, chairman of Horsham
Arts Festival, chairman of the University of Brighton
and a board member of the Wales Millennium Centre
. He was a member of the Independent Television Commission
from 1997 to 2003, and chairman of Brighton Festival from 1993 to 2002.
Director-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
from 1987 to 1992, having been appointed after the forced resignation of Alasdair Milne
Alasdair Milne
Alasdair David Gordon Milne is a former BBC producer who became Controller of BBC Scotland, the BBC's Director of Programmes and then Director-General of the BBC in July 1982. His resignation was forced by the BBC Governors in January 1987, following pressure from the Thatcher government...
.
Early life
Michael Checkland was educated at the state grammar school King Edward VI Five WaysKing Edward VI Five Ways
King Edward VI Five Ways is a selective, humanities specialist grammar school located in the Bartley Green area of south Birmingham, England. As of April 2008, the school has a second specialism, a specialist Science College.-Background:...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, of which he was appointed an Honorary Fellow in 1989. After leaving Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
he worked first as an auditor at Parkinson Cowan Ltd
Parkinson Cowan
Parkinson Cowan is now a brand of cooking appliance, owned by the Electrolux Group.-History:*1902: The company became Parkinson and W. and B. Cowan.*1919: The company opens a new factory at Stretford, Manchester to manufacture gas meters....
and then as an accountant at Thorn Electronics
THORN Electrical Industries
Thorn Electrical Industries, Limited was an electrical engineering business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange but it merged with EMI Group to form Thorn EMI in 1979...
.
Career at the BBC 1964-87
Checkland joined the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1964 as a senior cost accountant and in 1969 he was promoted to be head of the Central Finance Unit and chief accountant for Central Finance Services. In 1971 he moved to BBC TV
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, where he was successively chief accountant (1971–76), financial controller (1976–77), controller of planning and resource management (1977–82), and director of resources (1982–85). He had meanwhile been a director of Visnews
Visnews
Visnews was a London-based international news agency. By 1992 it was owned by NBC News , BBC and Reuters, until Reuters bought out the remaining shares of the company that year...
from 1980 until 1985. In 1985 he was appointed Deputy Director-General
Director-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
of the Corporation
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and at the same time he became Vice President of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
, a position he retained until 1994. In 1986 he became Chairman of BBC Enterprises
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
, of which he had been a director since 1979. The following year he became Director-General
Director-General of the BBC
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation is chief executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC.The position was formerly appointed by the Board of Governors of the BBC and is now appointed by the BBC Trust....
upon the resignation of Alasdair Milne
Alasdair Milne
Alasdair David Gordon Milne is a former BBC producer who became Controller of BBC Scotland, the BBC's Director of Programmes and then Director-General of the BBC in July 1982. His resignation was forced by the BBC Governors in January 1987, following pressure from the Thatcher government...
. This appointment coincided with a term of office as President of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
Commonwealth Broadcasting Association
Founded in 1945, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association is a representative body for public service broadcasters throughout the Commonwealth. A not-for-profit non-government organisation, the CBA is funded by subscriptions from 102 members and affiliates from 53 countries...
from until 1988.
Director-General of the BBC
As a former BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
accountant (hence his somewhat derogatory nickname "Michael Chequebook") he was more cautious and less radical than Milne, and therefore much less potentially unsettling to the Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
government. It has been claimed that the exodus to Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the early 1990s of dramatists like Dennis Potter
Dennis Potter
Dennis Christopher George Potter was an English dramatist, best known for The Singing Detective. His widely acclaimed television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social. He was particularly fond of using themes and images from popular culture.-Biography:Dennis Potter was born...
and Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
, who had both been responsible for series which caused outrage among Conservatives during the Milne era, had much to do with the relative lack of risk-taking at the BBC under Checkland and his successor John Birt, who was deputy director-general throughout Checkland's reign.
After the BBC
Following his departure from the BBC, Checkland suggested at a Royal Television SocietyRoyal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
conference that the corporation's governors and the chairman Marmaduke Hussey had been out of touch: they thought, as he put it, that FM (as in FM radio) "stood for fuzzy monsters!"
Following his retirement from the BBC, Checkland became closely associated with the National Children's Homes
NCH
Action for Children is a national children’s charity in the United Kingdom that supports and speaks out for the most vulnerable and neglected children, young people, families and their communities....
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. He has since become involved in a range of other charities and public bodies: Director of the National Youth Music Theatre
National Youth Music Theatre
The National Youth Music Theatre or NYMT is a UK organisation for young people in the field of musical theatre, based in London. It runs acting auditions, workshops, and musical theatre productions...
(1992–2002), Chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
(1995–2001), Governor of Westminster College, Oxford
Westminster College, Oxford
Westminster College was a college of higher education in England. The college was founded in London in 1851 as a training institute for teachers for Methodist schools, and moved to Oxford in 1959. Following the move, the college also began to offer degree courses in Theology and Education. In 2000,...
(1993–97), Governor of Birkbeck College London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
(1993–97), Visiting Professor at the International Academy of Broadcasting, Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
(1995–97), and Chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for England
Higher Education Funding Council for England
The Higher Education Funding Council for England is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the United Kingdom, which has been responsible for the distribution of funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England since...
(1997–2001).
In 1997-8 he was elected Vice-President of the British Methodist Conference, the highest lay position in the church.
He was at the time of writing a trustee of Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, chairman of Horsham YMCA
Horsham YMCA
-Origins:The Young Men's Christian Association was founded on June 6, 1844 in London, England, by George Williams with the intention of creating an organization to put Christian principles into practice. It strove to help young men who came to London for work who were often living in squalid and...
, chairman of Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
Arts Festival, chairman of the University of Brighton
University of Brighton
The University of Brighton is an English university of the United Kingdom, with a community of over 23,000 students and 2,600 staff based on campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. It has one of the best teaching quality ratings in the UK and a strong research record, factors which...
and a board member of the Wales Millennium Centre
Wales Millennium Centre
Wales Millennium Centre is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of . Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert...
. He was a member of the Independent Television Commission
Independent Television Commission
The Independent Television Commission licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003....
from 1997 to 2003, and chairman of Brighton Festival from 1993 to 2002.